第11部分(第5/7 頁)

　to　the　throne　and　his　father　picked　his　brother　as　heir。　Life　out　here　can　even　win　over　an　emperor。”

The　old　man　listened wide…eyed。　“You　never　told　me　that；”　he　said。　“It’s　a　good　story。　It　would　be　wonderful　if　all　you　Han　could　appreci—ate　the　grassland　like　that　prince　did；　but　it　would　have　been　better　if　he　hadn’t　lost　the　throne。　The　Qing　emperors　often　came　out　here　to　hunt　and　to　find　Mongol　girls　to　marry。　And　they　didn’t　allow　their　Han　subjects　to　open　the　grassland　to　raising　crops。　Back　then；　there　was　no　fighting　between　the　Mongols　and　the　Chinese；　we　were　at　peace。”

狼圖騰（英文版）　4（6）

Bilgee　loved　listening　to　Chen’s　historical　tales；　and　repaid　the　debt　with　tales　of　Mongolia。　“Anyone　who　doesn’t　eat　wolves’　food　is　not　a　true　grassland　Mongol。　There　would　probably　be　no　Mongols　without　it。　In　days　past；　when　Mongols　were　driven　to　the　brink　of　destruction；　they　survived　by　eating　wolves’　food。　One　of　Genghis　Khan’s　ancestors；　who　was　driven　deep　into　the　mountains；　was　on　the　verge　of　starva—tion；　like　a　mon　savage。　He　was　reduced　to　following　the　path　of　wolves；　whenever　they　had　a　kill；　he　would　wait　until　they’d　eaten　their　fill　and　moved　on；　then　he’d　eat　what　they　left。　He　lived　like　that；　alone　in　the　mountains；　for　years；　until　his　brother　found　him　and　took　him　home。　Wolves　are　the　Mongols’　benefactors；　sometimes　their　saviors。　Without　them　there　would　have　been　no　Genghis　Khan；　and　no　Mon—gols。　Wolf　food　is　delicious。　See　what　the　wolves　have　given　us　for　our　New　Year’s　celebration　。　。　。　though　it　doesn’t　e　that　easily　most　of　the　time。　That’s　something　you’ll　learn　someday。”

The　two　gazelles　were　picked　clean　and　the　bonfire　began　to　sputter。　Bilgee　had　the　people　smother　the　fire　with　snow。

The　cloud　cover　t